Famous People Who Died on April 21

Discover the most famous people who died on April 21. The list includes people like Mark Twain, John Maynard Keynes, Muhammad Iqbal, Prince, Shakuntala Devi. Famous personalities featured on this list, include political leaders, poets, philosophers and military leaders and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, France, United Kingdom & Germany and many more countries.

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Prince

(Singer-songwriter & Multi-instrumentalist)

Birthdate: June 7, 1958

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Died: 2016

Singer-songwriter, dancer, and musician, Prince is is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation. He was considered a guitar virtuoso and could also play several other instruments. With worldwide sales of over 150 million records, he is ranked among the best-selling music artists of all time. He was also well known for his flamboyant persona.

Mark Twain

(Lauded as the 'Greatest Humorist' the United States Has Produced)

Birthdate: November 30, 1835

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Florida, Missouri, United States

Died: 1910

Mark Twain, “the father of American literature,” was one of the world’s greatest 19-th century humorists and authors. His novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were drawn from his childhood experiences in Missouri. In his later life, he sunk into bankruptcy and also recovered.

Nina Simone

(One of the Most Influential Musical Artists of the 20th Century)

Birthdate: February 21, 1933

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Tryon, North Carolina, United States

Died: 2003

Widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Nina Simone was a pioneering recording artist whose career was characterized by improvisational genius and fits of outrage. Nina continues to be an important musician and has influenced several artists like Elton John, Adele, David Bowie, Madonna, and Aretha Franklin. She was also a civil rights activist.

Birthdate: January 28, 1457

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Died: 1509

Henry VII of England played an important role in popularizing the House of Tudor by becoming the first monarch of the house; he ruled as the king of England from 1485 until his death in 1509. He is credited with several economic, diplomatic, and administrative initiatives.

Birthdate: 1969 AD

Birthplace: Sturgis, Michigan, U.S.

Died: 2018

Verne Troyer gained fame as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films and Griphook in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Born with cartilage-hair hypoplasia-induced dwarfism, Verne had also performed as a stunt double in films such as Baby's Day Out. He died of suicide by alcohol poisoning at age 49.

Birthdate: May 2, 1892

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Wrocław, Poland

Died: 1918

Manfred von Richthofen, also known as Baron von Richthofen and the "Red Baron,” was a German Air Force fighter pilot who won more than 80 World War I battles. He was part of the fighter wing unit Jagdgeschwader 1, which was also known as "The Flying Circus" or "Richthofen's Circus.”

John Maynard Keynes

(One of the Most Influential Economists of the 20th Century Whose Ideas Greatly Influenced Economic Policies of Governments)

Birthdate: June 5, 1883

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Cambridge ,England

Died: 1946

John Maynard Keynes was an English economist. His ideas are credited with changing the theory and practice of the economic policies and macroeconomics of governments at a fundamental level. Counted among the 20th century's most influential economists, Keynes' ideas are the basis for Keynesian economics. In 1999, he was named in Time magazine's Most Important People of the Century list.

Birthdate: November 4, 1929

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Bangalore

Died: 2013

A child prodigy who was never formally educated, Shakuntala Devi became a mathematical genius earning the title of Human Computer for her exceptional calculating abilities. The Indian genius was also an astrologer and a gifted writer who authored books on maths, astrology, homosexuality in India and a crime thriller novel.

Muhammad Iqbal

(One of the Most Important Figures in Urdu and Persian Literature)

Birthdate: November 9, 1877

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Sialkot, Pakistan

Died: 1938

Muhammad Iqbal was a Scholar, poet, and politician. Born in British India (present-day Pakistan), Iqbal's poetry in Persian and Urdu languages is regarded as one of the greatest of the modern era. Also an influential politician, Muhammad Iqbal's vision of an independent Muslim state helped inspire the creation of Pakistan where he is recognized as the national poet.

Gummo Marx

(Actor, Comedian, Inventor)

Birthdate: October 23, 1892

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Died: 1977

Birthdate: April 14, 1907

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Port-au-Prince

Died: 1971

François Duvalier was a Haitian politician. From 1957 to 1971, he served as the president of Haiti. Over the course of his political career, Duvalier's regime became despotic and totalitarian. In 1964, Duvalier declared himself President for Life and remained in power until his death. Since his demise, several books have been written about his rule in Haiti.

Birthdate: September 28, 1910

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Lubao, Pampanga, Philippine Islands

Died: 1997

Diosdado Macapagal was a Filipino politician who served as the president of the Philippines from 1961 to 1965. Prior to his presidency, Macapagal served as the sixth vice-president from 1957 to 1961. Diosdado Macapagal is credited with inspiring his daughter Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who later became the president of the Philippines.

Birthdate: July 15, 1935

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Wolcottville, Indiana, United States

Died: 2019

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Jack Haley Jr.

(Film director)

Birthdate: October 25, 1933

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Died: 2001

Sandy Denny

(Legendary British Folk Rock Singer and Former Lead Singer of the Band ‘Fairport Convention’)

Birthdate: January 6, 1947

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: London

Died: 1978

English singer-songwriter Sandy Denny, considered a leading British folk-rock singer, performed as lead-singer of the famous folk-rock band Fairport Convention, and fronted it through many of its successful albums like What We Did on Our Holidays. Other notable works of Denny includes her solo-albums like Rendezvous; and her folk-duet The Battle of Evermore with Robert Plant for Led Zeppelin's album.

Prince Eugene of Savoy

(Austrian Army Commander)

Birthdate: October 18, 1663

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Paris, France

Died: 1736

Prince Eugene of Savoy was a field marshal who served in the army of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty and of the Holy Roman Empire. One of the most influential military commanders of his generation, Prince Eugene served three Holy Roman emperors in a career spanning 60 years. Consequently, he played important roles in many battles, including the Battle of Turin.

Vivian Maier

(American Street Photographer Whose Work was Discovered After Her Death)

Birthdate: February 1, 1926

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Died: 2009

Vivian Maier was an American street photographer whose works received critical acclaim after her death. Maier's photographs were unpublished during her lifetime. However, her works went viral on the internet when it was published on Flickr five months after her death. Vivian Maier's life and work have inspired documentary films like Finding Vivian Maier.

Aldo Leopold

(American Author & Environmentalist Who is Best Known for His Book 'A Sand County Almanac')

Birthdate: January 11, 1887

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Burlington

Died: 1948

Erté

(Russian-born French Artist and Designer)

Birthdate: November 23, 1892

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia

Died: 1990

Russian-French designer and artist Romain de Tirtoff, better known as Erté, not just designed clothes but also created sets, costumes, and posters for opera and ballet performances. He had worked for Harper’s Bazaar and the Folies-Bergère, and had also penned quite a few books on design and illustration.

Jean Racine

(Dramatist)

Birthdate: December 22, 1639

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: La Ferté-Milon, Kingdom of France

Died: 1699

Birthdate: 1033 AD

Birthplace: Aosta, Italy

Died: 1109

Owing to his quality classical education, Anselm of Canterbury became one of the finest Latinists of his time. As Archbishop of Canterbury, he resisted the English kings and was exiled. He is now remembered as a significant figure in the Investiture Controversy, which pitted the king against the pope.

Chrissy Amphlett

(Former Singer best known as the frontwoman of the Australian rock band Divinyls)

Birthdate: October 25, 1959

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Geelong, Australia

Died: 2013

Walter Slezak

(American Actor)

Birthdate: May 3, 1902

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Vienna, Austria

Died: 1983

Walter Slezak was an Austrian-born actor with an illustrious career spanning over half a century. He often played clever, talkative, and philosophical characters. The son of a famous opera tenor, he was fascinated by the show business and began acting in the 1920s. He was famous as both a stage performer and a film actor.

Charles MacArthur

(Playwright)

Birthdate: November 5, 1895

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: 1956

Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex

(Prince)

Birthdate: January 27, 1773

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Buckingham House, London, England

Died: 1843

Florian Schneider

(Musician)

Birthdate: April 7, 1947

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Düsseldorf, Germany

Died: 2020

Princess Deokhye

(Princess)

Birthdate: May 25, 1912

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Changdeokgung, South Korea

Died: 1989

Eleonora Duse

(Actress)

Birthdate: October 3, 1858

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Vigevano, Italy

Died: 1924

Sohrab Sepehri

(Iranian Poet and Painter)

Birthdate: October 7, 1928

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Kashan, Iran

Died: 1980

Sohrab Sepehri was an Iranian poet and painter. He is counted amongst the five most famous Iranian poets who have practiced modern poetry. His poems have been translated into several languages, including English, Italian, French, Spanish, and Lithuanian. He is also considered one of Iran's foremost modernist painters and is known for developing a new technique called texture.

Lady Ottoline Morrell

(Writer)

Birthdate: June 16, 1873

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England

Died: 1938

Charles Colson

(Counsel)

Birthdate: October 16, 1931

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

Died: 2012

Tiradentes

(Brazilian Revolutionary)

Birthdate: November 12, 1746

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Ritápolis, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Died: 1792

Joaquim José da Silva Xavier was a revolutionary who played a major role in a colonial Brazilian revolutionary movement called Inconfidência Mineira, which called for a creation of a Brazilian republic and full independence from the Portuguese Empire. Joaquim José da Silva Xavier was arrested and publicly hanged. Today, he is regarded as a national hero in Brazil.

I.A.L. Diamond

(Writer)

Birthdate: June 27, 1920

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Ungheni, Moldova

Died: 1988

Birthdate: September 6, 1892

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Bradford, England

Died: 1965

Considered a pioneer in radio physics, Nobel laureate Sir Edward Victor is remembered as much for his pioneering work on physics of the upper atmosphere as for his discovery of the Appleton layer. His investigations, which proved the existence of ionosphere and established its characteristics, helped not only to develop an unfailing long-range radio communication, but also the much-needed radars.

Tessie O'Shea

(Welsh Entertainer and Actress)

Birthdate: March 13, 1913

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales

Died: 1995

Known as Two Ton Tessie for her plus-size built, Tessie O'Shea was a Welsh entertainer who had begun performing at age 6. Known for her signature hats and striped stockings, she later soared to fame singing bawdy tracks. She also won a Tony Award for The Girl Who Came to Supper.

Lucrezia de' Medici, Duchess of Ferrara

(Duchess)

Birthdate: February 14, 1545

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Florence, Italy

Died: 1561

Juan Antonio Samaranch

(Sports administrator)

Birthdate: July 17, 1920

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain

Died: 2010

Princess Alexandrine of Prussia

(Aristocrat)

Birthdate: February 23, 1803

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Berlin, Germany

Died: 1892

Cosimo I

(Duke of Florence and Tuscany)

Birthdate: June 12, 1519

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Florence, Italy

Died: 1574

Sen Rikyū

(Historical Figure)

Birthdate: 1522 AD

Birthplace: Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

Died: 1591

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

Thomas Rowlandson

(Artist & Caricaturist of the Georgian Era)

Birthdate: July 13, 1757

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: London, England

Died: 1827

Birthdate: February 4, 1941

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Vanua Balavu, Colony of Fiji

Died: 2020

Laisenia Qarase was a Fijian politician who served as the Fijian prime minister from 2000 to 2006. He was overthrown from power as a result of a military coup in 2006. Subsequently, the military-backed regime pressed corruption charges against Qarase and he was imprisoned in 2012 amidst rumors that the charges were politically motivated.

Alexander Oparin

(Former Biochemist known for contributions to the theory of the origin of life, oacervates)

Birthdate: March 2, 1894

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Uglich, Russia

Died: 1980

Ulla Poulsen

(Ballerina)

Birthdate: February 5, 1905

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark

Died: 2001

Birthdate: April 14, 1970

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, United States

Died: 2016

True-crime writer, Michelle McNamara, is remembered for coining the name "Golden State Killer" for the serial killer later identified as Joseph James DeAngelo. Sadly, the author died before his identification and arrest. Fascinated by true crime from a young age, she launched her website TrueCrimeDiary in 2006 and dedicated her life to researching and writing about true crime.

Samuel Slater

(Industrialist)

Birthdate: June 9, 1768

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Belper, United Kingdom

Died: 1835

Joel Rogosin

(Television producer)

Birthdate: October 30, 1932

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Died: 2020

Peter Lind Hayes

(American Entertainer, Actor and TV Show Host )

Birthdate: June 25, 1915

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Died: 1998

Peter Lind Hayes was an American actor, vaudeville entertainer, and songwriter. Hayes had an impressive TV career in the 1950s during which he worked closely with the legendary Arthur Godfrey. Peter Lind Hayes also played an important role during the Second World War, appearing in a play titled Winged Victory which raised money for the Army Emergency Relief Fund.

Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada

(31st President of Mexico (1872 - 1876))

Birthdate: April 24, 1823

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

Died: 1889

In spite of growing up as a poor orphan, who aspired to be a priest, Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada ended up completing a law degree and became a professor. He later stepped into politics and, as a Liberal leader, led Mexico as its 31st president.

Ibrāhīm Lodī

(Sultan)

Birthplace: Delhi, India

Died: 1526